Rebuild has been a popular word in the city of Toronto over the years, and especially with Toronto FC over the last three seasons. The revolving door of head coaches comes with the inevitable reassessment of players and retooling (aka overhaul) of the roster. TFC have gone through so many rebuilds that after the 2012 season, especially starting 0-9 and finishing on a fourteen-game winless streak, there can be little debate that there is nothing to rebuild, this team is now back to 2007 and is starting at ground zero.
But where to begin? Perhaps the only area that offers some kind of stability is between the posts where Stefan Frei looks to return from a season-long injury and Milos Kocic emerged as a capable MLS-level starter. What is left are three areas of the pitch that all require significant improvements. From a million dollar backline with players out of position and lacking a veteran presence to a million dollar strikeforce that has spent more time watching from the stands than playing on the field. In between is a midfield that has suffered in quality from a spending imbalance. To finish it off, that all areas have in common, is a lack of depth on the bench.
RedNation's Armen Bedakian, Cormac McGee and Ian Clarke will look at all three of these areas and make a case for where Paul Mariner should focus first and foremost in building Toronto FC. Part one is defence as Armen Bedakian sets for this argument this is where the club's attention should begin.
They say the best offense is a good defence, and that may very well be true, but Toronto FC are no strangers to a less-than-impressive backline in Major League Soccer. It’s been six seasons of constant rotations, often putting players out of position and implementing stopgap measures to fix an otherwise leaky defence.
Let’s be clear: until the middle of the 2012 season, Toronto FC have never employed four capable, starting XI defenders at once. Every defensive combination Toronto FC has slapped together has had, at minimum, one major exploitative weak spot, whether that be at rightback, at leftback, or in the middle of the defence.
Just running down the list of memorable standouts who managed to find starting time, it’s clear that Toronto FC have rarely prioritized the defence: Nick Garcia is a notable example, Marco Velez another. Let’s not forget Maxim Usanov, Raivis Hscanovics, Danleigh Borman, and Kevin Harmse, who were all, at one point, a starter in their respective positions.
The case can be made that strikers or midfielders are needed by Toronto FC, but Paul Mariner must take this offseason as a chance to finally, finally fix the TFC defence.
This year, Toronto FC managed to actually find some competency in the backline. Ashtone Morgan’s emergence has been heralded as the first truly competent TFC Academy graduate, while Richard Eckersley and Darren O’Dea have established themselves as exemplary defenders in Major League Soccer.
Though expensive, the two are clearly capable of playing at this level, perhaps even thriving. Eckersley, in particular, has been consistently impressive during his time with the club. His performances at rightback have been indicative of his skill level, while his time at centre half has been born of necessity over preference.
A team of 25 players should aim for nine defenders – two rightbacks, two leftbacks, and four centerbacks, with one utility player for extreme circumstances such as injuries or international call-ups leading to personnel shortages. This should be the criterion for Toronto FC’s next season, too – finding nine defenders.
So let’s take a look at the players Toronto FC already employ, and see if there is any need for changes:
Starting at right fullback, Toronto FC have arguably one of Major League Soccer’s finest in Richard Eckersley. Certainly, there are few rightbacks that are real standouts in MLS. Perhaps YP Lee in Vancouver comes closest – if not surpasses – Eckersley’s skill level. If Paul Mariner plays Eckersley at rightback, he has a real weapon on his hands.
Jeremy Hall has picked up a few critics during his time at Toronto FC, but he has done well enough to earn a spot in the team; simply put, Hall isn’t a bad player. He’s got some flaws in his game, sure, but most players in Major League Soccer do, and though he may be a bit too expensive, he is the best alternative for Eckersley. At rightback, Toronto FC are set with Eckersley and Hall, so changing for the sake of change is unwarranted.
Now, for the leftback slot: Ashtone Morgan has all but guaranteed his spot in the starting line-up. He’s young, he’s strong on the counterattack, he’s never really outpaced, and he’s consistent. The one drawback in Morgan’s game is that he can get caught out of position at times, but this is an area that can improve with more experience.
However, the current alternative at leftback is…well, Logan Emory, who is not a natural in that position by any means. Signing a leftback like Michael Harrington from Sporting Kansas City, Rodney Wallace from Portland or Jalil Anibaba from Chicago would be a detriment to Morgan’s development; at this point, it would be wise for Toronto FC to go after Ante Jazic from Chivas USA. He’s a Canadian international, and at 37, his time as a starter in Major League Soccer may be coming to an end.
Jazic would be a perfect teacher for Morgan, showing him how to defend as a leftback, and guiding him at both the club and international level. Of course, Toronto FC could also take another route and graduate Tyler Pasher from the academy, but he is still young, and staying in the academy fold is the smarter option.
At centerback, Toronto FC have quite a few options, but it’s clear that the Reds need quality rather than quantity. Having dumped Adrian Cann, Dicoy Williams and Ty Harden over the offseason, Toronto FC are left with one undisputed starter in Darren O’Dea, and two centre halves that can play backup in Doneil Henry and Logan Emory – both have shown enough quality to play in MLS but starting Emory has led to many a mistake and the verdict is out on Henry’s ability to start just yet. Add in Mariner’s hesitation at putting the pressure on younger players and you have a very obvious answer at centerback – TFC need one more solid, quality defender.
Now, who could that be? Mariner was recently scouting Scandinavia, and as our rumour mill stated, Michael Parkhurst, a former MLS All-Star defender, has indicated to Jürgen Klinsmann his intent to return to North America. Toronto FC currently hold the top pick for returning players, and also have a connection with Klinsmann, so Parkhurst would not only be a very good partner for O’Dea, but the chance of him signing with Toronto FC is also good.
Parkhurst, however, would come at a high price.
There are other alternatives – Marvell Wynne, for example, was mentioned by Earl Cochrane during one of the town halls. His return to Toronto FC would be welcomed with open arms by the TFC faithful. New York’s Stephen Keel is also a good option, often overshadowed by more grabby named like Wilman Conde or Digão. Keel is a solid player who deserves better than the bench in New York.
It doesn’t hurt that they all speak English, as per Mariner’s insistence.
In reality, Toronto FC have figured out a large chunk of their defensive plans already, but the difference between building a backline as opposed to building an offense is the necessity for a solid group as opposed to individual stars. While the offense can function with three or four unique wingers/strikers, the backline requires the four players to work together. Having only three out of four pieces will hurt Toronto FC.
They cannot rely on Torsten Frings any more, especially in the defence. Paul Mariner has to find one quality centerback and perhaps one experienced leftback to finally round out the defence. Anything less, and Toronto FC will leak goals once again. You’re only as strong as your weakest link, and nowhere is that truer than Toronto FC’s backline.
Sure, it may end up costing a million dollars, but Toronto FC have wasted a million on far, far worse (remember Miguel Mista?). Teams like Real Salt Lake employ much more cap-friendly defenders, sure, but if the quality matches the price tag, Toronto FC shouldn’t shy away. A solid defence is necessary!
Stay tuned tomorrow as Cormac McGee makes his case for Toronto FC building through the midfield.
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